David Hurles — Biography (AI generated, reviewed and corrected by Jack Fritscher)
David Randolph Hurles (1944–2023) was an American gay pornographer, photographer, and filmmaker known for his underground male erotica, which he distributed through his company, Old Reliable Tape and Picture Company. His work captured the “rough trade” subculture of San Francisco and Los Angeles from the 1970s through the 1990s, gaining a strong cult following and influencing figures like film director John Waters.
Early life and influences
- Born on September 12, 1944, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hurles developed an early interest in photography.
- He was particularly drawn to “tough kids” and the delinquent boyfriends of his older sister.
- After brief stints at a university and in the military, Hurles began working as a photography assistant.
- In the 1960s, he appeared in magazines published by Guild Press, for whom he also did photography.
- He drew inspiration from filmmaker and photographer Bob Mizer of the Athletic Model Guild, who was a friend.
The Old Reliable Tape and Picture Company
- Hurles founded Old Reliable in San Francisco in the 1970s, operating the company largely out of a private mailbox.
- His work deliberately eschewed polished commercial standards to focus on the unvarnished eroticism of his subjects.
- He famously sought out straight ex-convicts, hustlers, drifters, and other figures from the “underbelly” of society, whom he described as authentic.
- Hurles used his own jail time from obscenity charges in the early 1970s to connect with potential models.
- His fascination with dangerous men—whom he viewed as holding power over him—was a key part of his artistic and personal obsession.
Body of work
Hurles’s output fell into three main categories:
- Photography: Shot primarily in black and white, these photographs were published in gay magazines, including Drummer and Man2Man Quarterly, and featured men in poses ranging from wrestling to solitary masturbation.
- Audio cassettes: He recorded his models describing how they would mistreat gay men, followed by tapes where he sexually serviced the models. Hurles considered the audio tapes to be his finest achievement.
- Video tapes: With the advent of home video in the 1980s, Hurles produced more than 300 solo and duo tapes, often featuring boxing or wrestling.
Later life and death
- In 1990, Hurles lost sight in one eye due to an accidental kick from a model during a shoot.
- The rise of internet pornography led to the end of his mail-order business, and by 2008, a stroke left him in a state-funded nursing home.
- Despite his decline, he continued to be recognized for his artistic contributions. In 2010, filmmaker John Waters organized an exhibition of Hurles’s work titled “Outsider Porn” to help cover his medical bills.
- In 2016, Hurles received a lifetime achievement award at the Tom of Finland queer art festival.
- David Hurles died on April 12, 2023, at the age of 78.
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